I’m willing to bet money that you’ve told yourself at least once that you’re “not enough.” Quite possibly someone made a comment, be it ever so insignificant, worse if this someone is close to you, but those words just don’t fade away. I think all of us can relate to thinking, “I’m just not ______ enough,” whether we’re trying to reach a professional goal, get or keep someone in a relationship, or even simply trying to make it through the daily grind. There’s a malicious voice ready to whisper that you’re not good enough.It’s not just being “good” enough, though, is it? There’s a never-ending waterfall of descriptors that include not being good enough, strong enough, smart enough, car-savvy enough, tech-savvy enough, beautiful enough, skinny enough, fat enough, culturally sensitive enough, musically talented enough… Can you relate? This phrase “I’m not _______ enough” is far too broad to we allow ourselves to be tormented by not being enough. To get very personal, my struggles investigate every possible word that can go in that blank. But this phrase has been haunting me lately, with a few very specific labels; so much so, that it escaped my thoughts and infected my speech.If I want to change how I speak about something (especially when it involves my self-image), I first have to change how my thoughts/perception. To change my thoughts, I need a change of attitude. And a change of attitude first starts with a change within my heart.My detrimental “not good enough” ditty in my head is either 1) something to do with how God made me and cannot be changed or 2) something developed during my life here on earth (knowledge, skill, something acquirable). When these hurtful adjectives attack, let’s have a plan of retaliation prepared to fight back. We are not helpless to attacks; we do not need to sit by and let ourselves get beaten up — worse yet, we do not have to surrender and join in attacking ourselves! If your “not _______ enough” is in the first category, there’s nothing to be done about it; and nothing needs to be done. God made you who you are because He desired it that way. Do not be ashamed. I’d be embarrassed to admit how much time I’ve brooded over things that God specifically created me with. For whatever reason(s), it pleased Him to create me as a freckled, fair-skinned, ginger-blonde, hearing, seeing, short, larger-ish, American woman. That is who God made me. None of those give me license to see myself as better than anyone else, whether they share in some of those characteristics or not. We are equally God’s creation and His children.I know that God loves me for exactly who He created me to be. I may forget it sometimes, but that is a promise that I can bank on, come what may. If you’re not feeling loved by God in this moment, know that you still are loved. Re-read that assurance if you need to; it’s no less true whenever you may read it. “For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.” Colossians 2:9-10But what about when your “not ________ enough” starts to focus on what you’ve not learned or what you’re not capable of doing? Here’s what I’ve figured out so far: accept that’s where you are in life right now. And if you decide to pursue that learning or skill further, then do it! I will never know everything that someone can learn in this lifetime (“But my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.” Solomon says that! Ecclesiastes 12:12), but I’m telling you right now, I learn more about cars and cell phones every time something goes amiss. I can’t know it all, but I will learn what I can.Our insufficiencies have no right to rule over our lives or our thoughts. Nor do our insecurities. These are tools the enemy of your soul taps into stealthily to replace God’s truth with his lies about you. Here’s the truth, dear one.Your old life has no hold over you. 2 Corinthians 5:17You are His friend. Romans 5:10-11You are His masterpiece. Ephesians 2:10You are a loved child of God. Romans 8:15-17; Ephesians 5:1 (By the way, if you don’t know the song “No Longer A Slave,” please find it. On my current list of songs that I need to have tissues nearby when I hear it!)Embrace the truth. Put reminders where you will see them, if necessary. This truth never changes, never fades. This truth will be there ready for you to take hold and fight back when the “not ________ enough”s threaten you. Where the world says I’m not enough, God says I am enough because I am in Him.